iOS 18 App Icon Color Tinting Guide

With the release of iOS 18, Apple introduced comprehensive Home Screen customization features that allow users to change the aesthetic of their app icons. Users can now move away from the traditional static look by choosing between Light, Dark, Automatic, and custom Tinted display options. This guide outlines each app icon styling mode available in iOS 18 and explains how the new color tinting system functions.

The Four App Icon Display Styles

When customizing the Home Screen in iOS 18, Apple provides four distinct icon styling options:

  1. Light: This is the traditional, default appearance for iOS app icons, displaying full-color graphics on standard backgrounds.
  2. Dark: This setting automatically modifies app icons to feature darker backgrounds and inverted or subdued elements. It works seamlessly across native Apple apps as well as third-party apps that provide dark assets.
  3. Automatic: This option dynamically transitions app icons between the Light and Dark styles based on your iPhone’s system-wide appearance schedule or ambient lighting conditions.
  4. Tinted: The primary new customization feature, Tinted mode applies a universal color wash across every app icon and widget on your Home Screen.

How the Tinted Color Option Works

The Tinted option removes standard app colors and replaces them with a uniform, dual-tone aesthetic based on your color choice.

  • Color Palette and Sliders: Selecting Tinted brings up a color adjustment menu with two sliders. The top slider controls the color hue across the full spectrum, while the bottom slider adjusts the saturation and brightness from subtle pastels to deep, vibrant tones.
  • Eyedropper Tool: The interface includes an eyedropper tool that lets you sample any color directly from your current wallpaper, ensuring that your app icons and background complement each other automatically.
  • Universal Application: Unlike previous iOS versions where third-party icon packs required manual Shortcuts setup, iOS 18 applies your chosen tint universally to all apps—including those that have not been explicitly updated by developers—as well as Home Screen widgets.

Additional Icon Display Options

Alongside color tinting, iOS 18 allows users to change icon sizing. By selecting the Large option in the customization menu, app icons expand slightly and app title labels are completely hidden, creating a cleaner, minimalist layout that pairs well with custom color tints.

How to Access App Icon Styling in iOS 18

  1. Tap and hold any empty area on your Home Screen until the apps begin to jiggle.
  2. Tap the Edit button located in the top-left corner of the screen.
  3. Select Customize from the drop-down menu.
  4. Choose your preferred icon style—Light, Dark, Automatic, or Tinted—from the bottom panel.
  5. Tap anywhere outside the panel to save your changes.